


Bah, Humbug

by DizzyRedhead



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Friends to Lovers, I mean look at the rating, ShieldShock Christmas Exchange 2015, not really a spoiler
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-03
Updated: 2016-01-03
Packaged: 2018-05-11 07:48:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5619214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DizzyRedhead/pseuds/DizzyRedhead
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve doesn't know why Darcy hates Christmas, but he's going to find out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bah, Humbug

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BetsyFangirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BetsyFangirl/gifts).



> For [BetsyFangirl](http://archiveofourown.org/users/BetsyFangirl/pseuds/BetsyFangirl), with my apologies for skimming so close to the deadline, and I hope this is something like what you had in mind! For other readers who are curious, the original prompt is in the endnotes.
> 
> Thanks to [Aenaria](aenariasbookshelf.tumblr.com) for the helpful and timely beta, for making my break up my long sentences, and for just generally being fantastic!

If Steve hadn’t known Darcy as well as he did, if he didn’t watch her when she was around (because they were  _ friends _ , Sam, jeez) he wouldn’t have noticed it. He didn’t think anyone else in the Tower had; Natasha probably would have, but she was off on some sort of long-term deep-cover mission since September. So it was just Steve who saw the way Darcy’s lips tightened when she saw Christmas decorations in October, or the way she always got her coffee to go when their favorite coffeeshop started playing Christmas carols in early November.

At first he assumed that she was just one of those people who resented the way Christmas overshadowed other holidays (Steve found himself pretty annoyed by it, even if he understood the business reasons for it after Pepper explained them), so he didn’t say anything. But December rolled around and Darcy was still avoiding all signs of Christmas. She flinched imperceptibly when someone wished her a Merry Christmas and slipped quietly out of the back of the room anytime Tony or Clint started a Christmas movie. She got quieter and more withdrawn as the days went by, until, around December 15th, Steve decided that something had to be done. 

Darcy started looking twitchy as soon as they stepped into the coffee shop, the one that had held out the longest, but their reprieve was over. Normally they sat at the corner table for their weekly coffee and chat, but there were garlands and lights everywhere, and some sort of choral rendition of “Angels We Have Heard On High” was playing over the ceiling speakers. “Lots of people in here today, huh?” she said, her eyes darting around.

“Do you want to wait outside?” he asked. “It’s not too cold; we can walk and talk.”

He almost felt guilty when he saw the gratitude in her eyes. “Would you?”

Steve shrugged. “Sure. Be out in a minute.” 

True to his word, he pushed out of the shop doors a few minutes later with their drinks in hand to find her waiting patiently on the sidewalk, leaning against the window with her eyes determinedly on her phone.

“You seem a little down,” he said, handing over her hazelnut truffle mocha.

Darcy took a big gulp, gesturing to her mouth to indicate her inability to talk. He waited patiently, shamelessly using his bulk to clear a path for her the shoppers and other pedestrians. She swallowed, closing her eyes briefly and licking her lips to capture the flavor, and Steve had to swallow, too, and look away for a moment.

“Down?” she finally said, her voice overly bright. “I’m fine. Don’t know where you got that idea.”

“Maybe from the way that you’ve been avoiding everything Christmas-related like Tony avoids serious conversations,” Steve said gently. “Wanna tell me what that’s about?”

“Not really,” Darcy answered, taking another drink. “But you’re not going to leave it at that, are you?”

“It’s a beautiful day,” he said. “We can keep walking for as long as you want to.”

She let out a gusty sigh. “Fine. It’s really not that big a deal. I just don’t like Christmas.”

Steve waited for a minute, but it seemed like that was all she planned on giving him. “I figured that much out on my own. Got a super brain, you know,” he teased gently, and was rewarded with an eyeroll and a genuine smile.

They walked in silence for a few more blocks, Darcy occasionally opening her mouth and then closing it again.

“My birthday is December 28th,” she finally said. “Everybody thinks they’re so clever, getting me one gift and then saying it’s for Christmas  _ and _ my birthday. Do you know I’ve never had a birthday party that wasn’t Christmas themed? Not one. My parents usually combined it with their annual Christmas party. And I know...I  _ know _ this makes me sound like a selfish, entitled brat. But…”

Steve waited through another few steps of silence.

“I’m always an afterthought,” Darcy said, her mouth twisted into a bitter little smile that hurt him to see, made him want to do dangerous things to bring back her real smile. “People are too busy with the holidays, their families are their priority. So I’m always getting blown off on my birthday. And all the Christmas stuff is a reminder. Every year. So I get grinchier every year. Pretty soon even I won’t be able to stand myself from November to January.”

“I’m sorry,” Steve replied, not sure what else he could say. 

She shrugged. “It is what it is. Sorry for unloading on you about it.”

He bumped his shoulder (gently) into hers. “Hey, I asked. You can always talk to me if something’s bothering you, Darcy.”

They walked in companionable silence for a few minutes before Steve asked a question about how things were going in the labs. Part of his brain was listening, enjoying being with Darcy and filing away the bits of information she had noticed that would let him smooth over the little bumps in the team before they became big rifts. But another part was turning over the information she’d given him, and making a plan. It was what he did; even the stupid song said so.

* * *

When they got back to the Tower, Steve dropped Darcy off on the lab floor with a hug, but instead of heading to the residential floor or to the gym level, as he usually did, he waited until the doors were closed to address JARVIS.

“JARVIS, is Ms. Potts in her office?”

“She is,” the AI’s mellow voice answered. “I assume you would like to speak with her?”

“Yes, please,” Steve said. “If she’s got time.”

There was a pause, then JARVIS said, “Ms. Potts says that if you can give her thirty minutes, she can meet you for lunch, if that would be acceptable.”

“Perfect,” Steve said. “I’m going to need your help, too, though. It’s for Darcy.”

* * *

Darcy came into her bedroom and stopped dead when she saw the blue cocktail dress laid across the bed. “JARVIS, did I forget a party?”

“Captain Rogers has asked that you accompany him to an event tonight,” JARVIS answered, “and he apologizes for the short notice. Ms. Potts sent the dress and accessories over.”

“Well, that tells me exactly nothing,” Darcy grumbled under her breath as she headed into the bathroom. Hopefully a five-minute shower would blow out the cobwebs. “At least Christmas is over, so it won’t be a Christmas party. Any idea if there’ll be food at this shindig, J?”

“Captain Rogers said, and I quote, ‘Tell Darcy I’ll buy her a burger after if the food’s crap.’”

“Fair enough.”

* * *

An hour later, Darcy checked her reflection in the mirrored elevator walls and marveled once again at the genius that was Pepper Potts.  [ The dress looked deceptively simple on the hanger ](http://www.prom2015outlet.net/black-vneck-fitted-short-cocktail-dress-by-la-femme-20578-p-646.html#.VnweZPkrLcd) or lying across the bed, but it hugged Darcy’s curves in all the right places. The v of the neckline revealed an attractive but not trashy amount of cleavage, and the hemline worked with the low heels of her sparkling sandals to make her legs look fantastic.

It was a good thing JARVIS controlled all the Tower elevators, because when the doors opened and Steve saw her, he froze, his mouth half open as if to say something, and a look in his eyes that she hadn’t seen before. Not on Steve, at least. Darcy felt a corresponding warmth in her stomach, but now was not the time to drag Steve back to his apartment and ravish him, no matter how much certain parts of her wished she could do just that. 

“Ta-da!” she said, giving a little twirl. “What do you think? Am I fancy enough to be Captain America’s plus-one?”

“You look beautiful,” Steve said simply, his voice a little lower, a little rougher than usual, as he finally came into the elevator. “Thanks for coming with me.”

Darcy looked him up and down, appreciating the cut of his black suit and the way his blue shirt, a shade darker than her dress, made his eyes look even bluer than usual.

“Where are we going, anyway?” Darcy asked as the elevator came to a stop on the garage level.

Steve grinned at her, his eyes sparkling. “It’s a surprise. But we get to take the Lamborghini.”

Darcy linked her arm through his. “You sure know how to show a girl a good time, Captain.”

“Doing my best,” Steve said softly, opening her door and holding her hand maybe a minute too long as she slid into the passenger side of the car.

* * *

Darcy pestered him with questions as they drove through the streets of Manhattan, trying everything she could think of to make him let something slip about where they were going, but he deflected her attempts with laughable ease. She was trying to come up with a new strategy when they stopped at a valet stand and Steve tossed the valet the keys before coming around to open her door and give her a hand out.

“Where are we?” she asked, completely turned around and a little thrown by the fact that Steve hadn’t let go of her hand, his fingers warm where they wrapped around hers.

“You’ll see,” he said, leading her into an elevator, still holding her hand. He smiled at her, an uncertain little smile that Darcy had never seen before, and she felt her heart twist just a little in her chest.  _ Not now, Lewis _ , she told herself firmly.  _ Mystery event now, your ridiculous crush on Steve later. _

The elevator doors finally opened and they stepped out into a small lobby area separated from a very fancy bar by a clear glass wall. “Uh, Steve, I don’t think they’re open,” Darcy said, because there was no way a rooftop bar in New York City wouldn’t be packed on a Friday night during the holidays, but she couldn’t see anyone inside.

“They’re open,” he said, proving his point by opening the door. Darcy tried not to pout when he let go of her hand, but he ushered her through the door with a hand on the small of her back, which was almost as good, the warmth seeping through the silk of her dress.

“Are we the first people here, or--”

“SURPRISE!!!”

Darcy stumbled back in shock, but Steve’s hand was there to steady her. “What--” she stammered, looking around the room and trying to make sense of what she saw. Jane and Erik and Thor were there, and Tony and Pepper and Clint and Natasha and Bruce and Rhodey and Sam, smiling and laughing, probably at the look on her face, because seriously,  _ what the fuck was going on? _

“Happy Birthday, Darcy,” Steve murmured in her ear, and she was so distracted by the warmth of his breath across her skin that it took her a minute to process what he’d said. “Surprise.”

She looked around the room again, suddenly realizing what she  _ wasn’t _ seeing. There wasn’t a single Christmas decoration to be seen; no garlands or tinsel or wreaths, no red bows or candy canes or ornaments. Tears were prickling at the corners of her eyes, and she turned to Steve, needing to say something, anything, to let him know how much it meant to her. But then Jane was there, tugging her toward the bar where Tony had ensconced himself, and all Darcy could do was mouth “Thank you” over her shoulder as Steve was pulled into the group as well.

* * *

“I’m guessing from the smile on your face that I didn’t screw up too badly,” Steve said as he pulled out on the street.

Darcy smiled at him from her seat. “Steve...that was the nicest thing anybody’s ever done for me. I…” she looked down at her hands, wishing she’d had a couple more drinks, enough to be brave, enough to take a chance. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he said softly. “Seeing you look that happy...I was glad to do it.”

They drove in silence through the Manhattan streets, Steve navigating in and out of traffic with a grin on his face that made Darcy hide a smile of her own. All too soon, though, they were back in the garage, walking slowly into the elevator and waiting as JARVIS whisked them up.

“Well, this is me,” Darcy said when the doors opened on her floor. “Tonight...it was amazing, Steve. Thank you.”

She gave him one last smile before starting to leave the elevator, but Steve’s hand closed gently around her arm, stopping her in place. She turned toward him, helpless to resist the pull toward him any longer.

“Darcy,” he said hoarsely. “Can I--do you--”

Darcy lifted up on her tiptoes, sliding her hands up his chest, and Steve leaned down. The kiss started out sweet, a simple press of lips, but then Darcy slid one hand around the back of his neck and he shuddered under the touch, his lips parting. Steve’s hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer until there wasn’t an inch of space between them, and it was Darcy’s turn to gasp when he licked into her mouth.

When they finally broke apart, gasping for breath, JARVIS said, with the long-suffering tone of one who’d been repeating himself more than once, “Captain, if you and Miss Lewis will exit the elevator, others are waiting to use it.”

Steve flushed, looking thoroughly debauched; his hair was rumpled from her hands, his tie was loose, and his shirt was halfway unbuttoned. Darcy linked her fingers with his and tugged him out of the elevator, noting in passing that her hair was half-falling out of the messy chignon she’d tamed it into and one of the straps of her dress was falling off her shoulder. “C’mon, Steve, you heard the man.”

Steve hesitated outside the door to Darcy’s apartment. “Are you sure--”

Darcy grabbed his loosened tie and pulled him in for another kiss. She’d just meant it to be a brief reassurance, but kissing Steve was quickly becoming an addiction. Before she realized it, he’d lifted her effortlessly, pinning her against her door. The tight skirt of her dress had to be up around her waist by now, but she couldn’t bring herself to care, because her legs were wrapped around Steve’s waist and he was groaning into her mouth. She could feel his cock, hard and thick and so so close to where she wanted it.Then he rolled his hips against her in a long, slow, filthy grind and Darcy made a noise she would have sworn was entirely fake if it hadn’t come out of her own mouth.

“Inside,” Steve growled, tearing his mouth away from hers. 

Darcy flailed around until she managed to find the palm-plate to open the door. It took several tries, because Steve had apparently made it his mission to make her come just by kissing her neck and grinding up against her. Who needed higher brain functions when you had an honest to Thor supersoldier sucking a hickey onto your collarbone?

Either Darcy finally hit the palm-plate or JARVIS took pity on them, but eventually, the door slid open behind her. Darcy let out a little squeak and wrapped her arms around Steve’s neck, but he just tightened his grip on her ass and carried her toward her bedroom with the kind of single-minded focus you had to admire.

Once they made it into the bedroom, he finally set her down, letting her slide slowly down his body until her feet touched the floor, but he didn’t take his hands off her ass until she pushed his suit jacket off his shoulders. He let it fall to the floor and slowly pulled his tie loose from its knot, his eyes dark and intent on hers the entire time, then finished unbuttoning his shirt, dropping it and the tie to the floor as well.

Darcy turned around, lifting her hair up off her back. “Unzip me?”

Steve sucked in a harsh breath and then his hand was tracing a warm, slow path between her shoulderblades while his other hand pulled the zipper slowly down. He hesitated for a minute, then both hands were on her shoulders, sliding the straps down her arms until the dress was pooled on the floor around her feet. 

Darcy took a minute to wonder again where Pepper had found a dress with a built-in bra that was actually supportive, but then Steve’s hands were on her breasts, lifting them reverently . She pressed against him, her head falling back onto his shoulder as he skimmed his thumbs lightly over her nipples.

“Steve, please,” she begged, when he did it again. “Don’t tease me.”

He kissed the side of her neck, scraping his teeth lightly over the skin, and she could feel his lips curve when she shuddered against him. “Maybe next time,” he murmured, lifting her up and carrying her to the bed. He laid her down and dropped his slacks, boxers, and shoes on the floor before joining her.

“My shoes--” 

“Leave ‘em; I like ‘em. Are you ready for me, Darcy?” he asked, his hand sliding down her stomach and under her panties.

“Yes--oh, god,” she groaned, her hips arching up as he slipped one thick finger easily inside her pussy. “Steve, Jesus fuck,” she swore when he added another easily. “Yes, I’m ready, please, oh--”

“Condom?” he asked, tugging her panties down her legs with one hand and tossing them to the floor, still slowly fucking her with the other one, three fingers now sliding wetly in and out.

Darcy managed to get the bedside table drawer open on her third try, which she considered quite acceptable considering that Steve Rogers was naked in her bed with three fingers buried in her cunt, and she was pretty sure there was no blood actually left in her brain, especially when he leaned down to curl his tongue around her nipple. She tossed a strip of condoms onto the bed, and Steve straightened reluctantly, tearing one open with his teeth and rolling it on one-handed.

Darcy closed her eyes with his first, glorious push inside her, her hips lifting up to meet him. She wrapped her legs around his waist and they both groaned as he worked his way in with short, steady thrusts until he was completely buried inside her. She looked up to see that he had closed his eyes for a minute, and then he was leaning down to kiss her again, wet and filthy. She couldn’t keep her hips from moving, tiny motions trying to pull him closer, get him deeper, and soon they were moving together. It felt fantastic, but it wasn’t quite enough to get her to where she needed to go.

“Steve,” she said, “I’m not going to break. Fuck me harder.”

He looked down at her for a long minute, his eyes wild and almost afraid. She could see the rigid self control in the set of his jaw, the tiny tremors in his muscles. “I don’t wanna hurt you,” he breathed almost inaudibly.

Darcy pulled him down for another kiss. “I’ll tell you if you even get close, I promise. But I need you to fuck me harder. I want you to make me come, Steve.”

He froze for a moment, then pushed her knees back toward her chest and started fucking her in earnest, bending her back until every thrust was sliding across her g-spot. She closed her eyes again, lost in the sensation racing through her. Her breath sobbed out of her lungs as he lifted her hips, changing the angle just enough, and she was coming helplessly under him while he fucked her relentlessly through it. She wrapped her hands around his arms, her nails digging into his biceps, but then he let her legs fall to the bed, slid his hands under her ass and rolled them over until she was on top, his cock still hard inside her.

“Your turn to do the work,” Steve said, tucking his hands behind his head.

“You just want to watch,” Darcy accused him, circling her hips lazily.

“Can you blame me?” he asked, eyes intent as she slid her hands up her stomach to cup her breasts. “It’s a fuckin’ gorgeous view.”

Darcy gave him a wicked smile and started to move, fucking herself slowly on his cock. She closed her eyes and let herself make all the noises she wanted to make, enjoying the hot, thick slide of him inside her. She circled her nipples with her thumbs, teasing herself, then squeezed lightly, moaning at the way the sensation shot straight to her clit.

She picked up speed, adding a little grind to each stroke, and then Steve’s hands closed over her breasts. She grabbed his wrists, nails biting into his skin as he toyed with her nipples, the smooth skin of his fingertips a teasing glide. He thrust up into her, both of them moving faster and faster until she came, shuddering around him, and Steve groaned, pushing up into her one, two, three more times as he came.

Darcy collapsed down onto him, sucking in big gulps of air and feeling his chest heave under her as he did the same. 

“Well,” he finally said, one big hand stroking idly up and down her back. “I can honestly say that that was not what I had planned for tonight.”

Darcy pushed herself up enough that she could see his face. “Are you complaining?”

Steve kissed her, short and sweet. “Hell no, I’m not complainin’. Just a little surprised.” He kissed her again. “Happy birthday, Darcy,”

**Author's Note:**

> Original prompt: Darcy is a Christmas baby, and as such has never had a birthday celebration that didn't include candy canes, Christmas trees, etc. Steve sets out to rectify this. 
> 
> This fic was going to be more like 1000 words but then Steve and Darcy decided they were going to have sex; who am I to say no?


End file.
